Specialist Mental Health Care Across Every Stage of Life
At CBB Hospital (Cochin Hospital for Brain and Behavioral Health), Kochi, we understand that mental health challenges look very different at age 7, age 17, and age 70. Our Child, Adolescent & Geriatric Care department provides age-appropriate, evidence-based, and deeply compassionate psychiatric and psychological care to three of the most vulnerable populations in Indian society — children, teenagers, and the elderly.
In India, mental health in these age groups is vastly under-recognised and under-treated. Parents often dismiss behavioural changes in children as “a phase.” Families attribute an elderly parent’s growing confusion and sadness to “old age.” Teenagers are told to “focus on studies” when they are silently struggling. At CBB Hospital, we believe every age deserves expert mental health attention — and every family deserves support in navigating these challenges.
Child Psychiatry — Early Help Changes Everything
The foundation of lifelong mental health is laid in childhood. Early identification and treatment of mental health conditions in children prevents years of unnecessary suffering, academic failure, and social difficulties. Our child psychiatry team works with children from as young as 3 years of age.
- ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder): One of the most common yet misdiagnosed conditions in Indian children. Frequently mistaken for naughtiness, stubbornness, or laziness. We provide comprehensive ADHD assessments and personalised management plans — including behaviour therapy, school coordination, and medication where appropriate.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Early diagnosis and structured intervention significantly improve long-term outcomes. We provide detailed ASD evaluations, therapy planning, and parent training in evidence-based strategies.
- Learning Disabilities: Dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia affect a child’s ability to read, calculate, or write — not their intelligence. We provide formal assessments required for board exam concessions and support plans for schools.
- Childhood Anxiety & School Refusal: Separation anxiety, social anxiety, and school refusal are becoming increasingly common among Indian children. Left untreated, they can severely impact academic progress and social development.
- Childhood Depression: Children can and do experience depression — it often presents as irritability, withdrawal, or physical complaints rather than sadness. Early treatment prevents long-term consequences.
- Developmental Delays: Assessment and management of children with speech, language, motor, or overall developmental delays.
- Behavioural Problems: Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), conduct problems, aggression, and emotional dysregulation in children — addressed through structured therapy and parent guidance.
Adolescent Mental Health — India’s Youth Under Pressure
India’s teenagers are under extraordinary pressure — from board exams, NEET and JEE preparation, social media, changing family structures, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Mental Health Survey of India found that 7.3% of adolescents suffer from mental health disorders, but the vast majority never receive help.
- Depression & Anxiety in Teenagers: Confidential, adolescent-friendly consultation in a safe, non-judgemental space. We involve families appropriately while preserving the teenager’s sense of privacy and autonomy.
- Exam Stress & Academic Burnout: Managing the unique pressures of the Indian education system — Class 10, Class 12, competitive entrance examinations, and coaching centre culture — with practical stress management and resilience-building strategies.
- Social Media & Gaming Addiction: Helping adolescents and families set healthier digital boundaries and address problematic internet use.
- Self-Harm & Suicidal Ideation: India accounts for a disproportionate share of global adolescent suicides. We provide urgent, sensitive, expert assessment and intervention for at-risk adolescents — with full support for the family.
- Substance Use in Youth: Addressing early tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and prescription drug misuse among teenagers — with non-judgemental, practical intervention approaches.
- Eating Disorders: Body image issues and disordered eating are rising among urban Indian adolescents. We offer expert evaluation and coordinated multidisciplinary care.
Geriatric Psychiatry — Dignity & Care for India’s Elderly
India’s rapidly ageing population presents a growing public health challenge. With over 140 million citizens above the age of 60, and that number set to triple by 2050, mental health care for the elderly is more urgent than ever. Yet in Indian families, an elderly parent’s depression is routinely dismissed as “just being old,” and dementia is seen as “normal forgetting” — until it becomes a crisis.
- Dementia & Memory Disorders: Expert assessment and diagnosis of all types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Lewy body dementia. Early diagnosis enables better planning, treatment, and family preparation. We provide families with practical guidance and carer support plans.
- Late-Life Depression: Depression in the elderly presents differently — often as fatigue, pain, withdrawal, and loss of interest rather than sadness. It is highly treatable and significantly improves quality of life when addressed properly.
- Late-Life Anxiety: Health anxiety, generalised worry, and panic attacks in the elderly are common and often under-treated. We provide compassionate, effective care.
- Delirium: Acute confusion, agitation, and disorientation in elderly patients — a medical emergency requiring rapid psychiatric assessment. Our team is trained to evaluate and manage delirium in hospitalised patients.
- Sleep Disorders in the Elderly: Insomnia, hypersomnia, and sleep-wake cycle disturbances are extremely common in older adults. We offer safe, evidence-based treatment options that minimise inappropriate medication use.
- Caregiver Support: In India, the burden of caring for an elderly parent with mental illness or dementia falls heavily on family members — often daughters-in-law, adult children, or spouses. We provide dedicated counselling, education, and practical support for caregivers — because their wellbeing matters too.
Our Approach — Family-Centred, Culturally Sensitive Care
At CBB Hospital, we recognise that in India, mental health care is never just about the individual — it involves the entire family. We welcome family participation, provide clear and practical psychoeducation in Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and English, and work collaboratively with families to support recovery. Our consultations are never rushed — we take the time to listen, understand, and explain.
Breaking the Stigma
Seeking mental health care for a child is not an admission of failure as a parent. Addressing an elderly parent’s memory loss is not disrespectful — it is an act of love. Helping a struggling teenager find professional support is not “over-reacting” — it may save their life. At CBB Hospital, we stand by every family that takes this courageous step.
Book an Appointment
Our team is ready to help — whether you are a concerned parent, a teenager seeking confidential support, or a family caring for an elderly loved one.
📞 +91-9048215757 / +91-9048213838
📧 contact@cbbhospital.com
📍 CBB Hospital, Kailas Colony, HMT Colony, North Kalamassery, Kochi, Kerala – 682021
